Hit 500 board repairs this week and had to step back

I've been fixing circuit boards in my garage here in Dayton for about 3 years now. Last Thursday I pulled a failed power supply from an old Sony receiver and realized it was number 500. I just started counting for fun after a friend dared me back in 2021. This one had a bad regulator and took maybe 20 minutes, but it still felt like a big deal. Anyone else keep count of their repairs or am I just weird?

3 comments

3 Comments

karenf401mo ago

My dad was a tv repairman back in the 80s and he kept a little notebook with every set he fixed. He told me once that hitting 500 meant something for him too but not the way you think. He said after that many boards you start seeing patterns in failures like bad caps in certain brands or cold solder joints that always crack in the same spot. It got him into buying parts in bulk which saved him a ton of money over time. Maybe now that you hit 500 you should look back at your records and see which parts you use the most. That could help you stock up and cut down your repair time even more.

kim.stella1mo ago

500 repairs and you basically see the universe playing the same tricks over and over.

elliotw371mo ago

Huh. I used to think hitting 500 was more like a badge of honor or something, you know? Like a milestone to brag about. But reading your comment changed my mind. That bit about noticing specific failure patterns really clicked with me. I always just fixed things as they came in and never kept any real records. Now I'm thinking I should start a notebook too, like your dad. Stocking up on the parts that fail the most would definitely save time and money in the long run. Probably a smarter way to look at it than just counting fixes.